Loose-leaf binder.



J, iL. MGMILLAN E C. H. JOSLYN. Los LEAP BINDER. APPLITVION FILED MAY 25, 1908.

Fatemi. Dec. 14,1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Strane?) UNITED srATEs" 'P grianr OFFICE.

JOHN L. MCMILLAN CHARLES H. JOSLYN, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO MCMILLAN BOOK COMPANY, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION F NEW YORK.

Loose-LEAF BINDER.-

' Specification of Letters latnt.

Patented pag.14, 1909.

Application 1ed\May 25, 1908. Serial No. 434,843.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN InlWClVIILLArI and CHARLES H. Jos'LYN, citizens of -the UnitedStates, residing at Syracuse, in the county of'Onondaga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Loose-Leaf Binders, of which the following is a specification.

`Our present inventionv pertains to' iniprovements in loose-leaf binders, the construction and advantages of which will be hereinafter set forth, reference being had ltaken on the line a-.a of Fig. 3;' Fig. 5 a

i perspective view of one of the nger-carry ing plates; Fig. 6 a perspective View of thel lever or linger-piece employed to move the ring-carrying plates from the closed to the open position; Fig. 7 a top plan view of the plates, the parts being shown as slightly separated; Fig. 8 a transverse sectional view, taken on the line b-b of Fig. 3; Fig. 9 a perspective view of the member employed to hold the trough-shaped member, which forms the support or pivotal bearing for the locking plates, in position; Fig. 10 a perspective vlewof a modified form of the structure.; Fig. 11 'an end view thereof; Fig. 12 a detail. perspective View -of one of the rocking liinger'- carrying 4plates employed with said modified structures; and Fig. 13.

an end view, showing a still further modification. y y

The main object of the present invention is'to provide a simple andeilcient looseleaf binder, in which the fingers or halfrings are carried by plates which have a rocking motion with reference to their supporting member, the plates, or the connec# tions between them, being yielding, whereby a rigid back or supporting member may be employed and the spring action of the plates or connections is depended upon to hold thefingers in their open or closed position.

A further object of the invention is toj provide a finger 'of .peculiar cross-section, which while light 1n structure 1s strong and a binder4 metal.

aords a wide surface, whereby the tendency of the sheets to tear, as is the case with narrow rings, is avoided.

With these andiother obJects 1n view, a

description of the preferred construction, orv that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive will first be given.

In' said-figures the invention is shown as applied to a pocket memorandum book though,: of course, it is also applicable to books and binders of various forms;

The covers of the bookare formed inte'- Y grally with the back, as shown in' Fig. 1, the

continuous sheet 1 being 4of leather,` or other suitable material. A semicircular retaining plate 2, shown in detail'in Fig. 9, and provided with outwardly-extending prongs 3, is moun'ted between sheets 4 and 5, which a-re secured to each -other and to' the back and covers. This retaining and stiffening plate may be secured to the covers in any manner, that shown being applicable for light books.

Mounted directly over 4the plate 2 is a trough-shaped member 7, the edges ofwhich (designated by 8 and 9) are curved or turned inwardly and notched, as at 10, at intervals 'throughout theiry length. This trough-shaped supporting. member or barrelis held in position by the prongs 3 of the retaining and stitfening plate, which prongs are turned upwardlyland inwardly over said barrel, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The trough-shaped supporting member is formed of a stiff, non-yielding or non-springing A cover-plate 11, .having inturned ed es, is mounted upon the supporting mem er and holds the upper edges of the troughshaped member against outward or lateral displacement. -Sald cover-plate is notched to correspond with the notches 10formed in the supporting member, so that 4the iners or half-rings 12 may pass therethrough. aid fingers are carried by plates 13, best shown :in Fi s. 5 Aand 7, each plate being provided wit a slot or openingld at one Side of the center thereof, the portion of the plate opposite said opening being thinned down and brought to a sharp edge, as at 15. The plate at the opposite end is somewhat narrowerand a Vshaped projection 16 eX- tends outwardly therefrom, each projection bearing against the thinned or sharp edge 15 of the opposite plate.

les

Preferably the fingers or half-rings will be formed as integral parts of the plates, being stamped out from a sheet and bentv to form. As will be noted, the fingers in cross-section are substantially semicircular, with the rounded face innermoshwhereby a broad bearing. surface' for the paper or sheets will b e provided.` While the rings Y are relatively light, the cross-sectional curva ture thereof produces a very stifil construe tion. Furthermore, it is to be noted that the base or root of each half-ring or prong extends back into the body of the plate, so

that. a rigid and strong structure is produced. In other words, the prong may be said to be rooted in the plate. The outermost edgesof the platesare seated and have their bearings in the upper" portions of the trough-shaped supporting.

I20,member, below the inturned edges S and A9. 1

The parts are so proportioned that the'aggregate width of the plates 13 is greater than the distance between the opposite faces of the supporting member, and .as-a conse-- v quencc when the platesare movedeither .up

or down the thin portions 15, which ,may be said to constitute spring bars, yiel suffi; ciently to permit the plates to pass the center and be carried into the) upper or lower position, so that the fingers are thrown openor brought to their closedposition.

` During the upward'and downward movement of the plates the vtrough-shaped supporting member remains in its normal position; in other words,` it does not expand or contract as in those-structures wherein ,the resiliency or spring 'of'the trough-shaped, member is employed to properly hold thecarryi'ng' platesy in theirupper or lower po- 40 sition. Any tendency toexp'and, if there be any, is counteracted by the interlocked cover-plate, which likewise formsa stop to prevent the plates fromV swinging tooA far, upwardly. In order to facilitate the opening ofthe lingers-a nger-piece or lever, shown ih detail in Fig. 6 and alsolillustrated in position in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, is placed at one end .of the barrel or supporting member, one 5'0' end of the lever underlying the plates.. The lever, designated by 17, 1s provided with downwardly-projecting prongs or feet 18, the latter passing into notches or openings formed inthe trough-shaped supporting `.55 member or barrel 7. By .depressing the outer end ofthe lever, the plates 13 will be rocked or thrown upwardly and asa c onsequence the half-rings` or fingers 12 will be separated. 'To close the fingers it is only necessary to` apply pressure to the outer faces thereof, as is usual in books of this character. It is conceivable that the plates carrying the half-rings or fingersmay be formedin various ways, and in Figs. 10, 11 and 12 the "that fthe 'lingers egeneric invention is concerned rings of a thereto. IThe construction shown is, howies.

plates vare shown as provided with depressed portions 19, substantially semicircular in form, which will afford sufficient resiliency in the lates to permit them tovbe nioed upward y t o open ory separate the fingers, or thrown downwardly in the act of closing the, ingersjTh'e edges of the plates'in this: -form are slitted, and the alternate portions, desi nated by 20jand 21, areturned upwardly and downwardly, so that when the parts are assembled v these sections will over- -lap and interlock, sjshown inF i 10.

In Fig. 13a still .iurther modi cation is shown, wherein curved.' plates 22 are emloyed to carry the'zfingers or half-rings. I he edges oi these plates will be notchedso thereby formed will interlock.-

' In all the modifications it is to be noted that the trough-shaped supporting member or barrel is rigid and unyielding, and that theresiliency necessary to the opening and closing of the rings resides in the plates.

It is conceivable that in so far as theV orm other than those herein illustrated may be employed, and that instead of forming the rings as integral portions of the plates they maybe made separately.` and secured ever, preferred for the reasons above noted.

:Itis'conceiyable that a plate with but two rings may be employed, and that `a single opening to form a single spring-bar or member would then be s'uiicient. It is likewise 100` conceivable'thatl the spring arms or bars may be formed upon one plate instead of upon oppositely-disposed plates.

Having thus descvribed our invention, vwhat we claim is: v l

1. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination of oppositely-disposed-plates; a plurality ofl "fingers carried by each plate.; a fixed bear?l ing for'v the outer edge of each plate; and a 'spring member carried directly by each of 110 the plates, serving normally te vthrow theplates out .of aliement but permitting the same to be 4swung upwardly and downwardly to carry theA ngers into and out of contact with each other. v

2. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination Vof oppositely-disposed plates, the adjacent L- edges of which have a lrocking connection; a plurality of half-rings or fingers carried byo eachv plate; a fixed bearing for the outer edge 120 ofeach plate,` and aspring member formed as an integral part of one of the plates, servin'g normally to throw the plates out of alinement and to permit the same to lloel 'swung upwardly *and downwardly to carry 125 vthe fingers into and out of conta'ct with each other.

3. In a loose-leaf binder, the .combination of a rigid trough-shaped member; a pair of v plates having their outer edges fulcrumed upon said member, each of said plates being provided with a spring section; and means for holding the abutting edges ofthe-plates in contact.

4; In a loose-leaf binder, the-combination of a pair of plates, each plate having a springsection; means rfor holding the adjacent edges of the plates together; a tixedsupport or fulerum for the outeredge of each plate; and a riedby each plate. i

5. In ay loose-leaf binder, the combination of a non-yielding, trough-shaped member; a pair of plates .having their outer edges fulrumed upon said member, each plate having a spring seotion;.means for holding the plurality of fingers caradjacent edges of the plates together; and a".

plurality of fingers' carried by each of said plates.

6. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination of a non-yielding, trough-shaped member; a pair of plates having their outer edges ful v crumed upon said member, each of saidv plates being-formed with a slot or opening therein, whereby a yielding section is formed; a bearing and connecting member4 carried upon'the edge of eachA plate, said members being-disposed opposite the yielding section of the opposite plate; and a plurality of fingers car-iied by each plate.

'7. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination of av non-yielding, trough-shaped member; a pair of plates having their .outer edges fulcrumed upon said member, each of said plates being formedat its inner edge with a spring bar, and With a bearing member adapted to Coact with' the bar of the opposite plate; and a pluralityof fingers carried byeach plate.

8. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination l plate for loose-leaf binders,

of a non-yielding, trough-shaped member a pair ot plates having their outer edges fulerumed upon said member, each of said plates being'formed at itsinner edge with a spring bar, the bar beingesomewhat thinner than the body 'of the -plate and provided witha beveled outer edge, each bar being likewise provided with a V-shaped projection adapted to coact with the thinned edge of the springbar formedupon the opposite plate;'and.-a-plurality of lingers carried by each plate. I A9.- In combination with a linger-carrying plateA for loose-leaf binders, a finger substantially semicircular in cross-section, theroot of said finger being struck up from the body of the plate.

10. In combination with a` finger-carrying a linger substantially semlcircular 1n cross-section, the

root of said ingerextending inwardly from the edge 4of the Aplate and merging gradually into the plate from which it is struck up.

`ll. Apfinger-plate for loose-leaf binders,

-coniprising a plate, and a plurality of iingers integral therewith, said ingers being curved in cross-section and such curvature extending into the body 'of the plate, substantially as described, vwhereby the fingers are braced and strengthened at the base or 

